The Flames of Kyoto
by Randa-Chan
Summary: DISCONTINUED PERMANENTLY.
1. Prologue

**The Flames of Kyoto **

**Prologue: **

_Kyoto: May 1865_

_A cold wind blew that night, cutting though the streets and sending shivers down the spine of any man foolish enough to walk through it. The streets of Kyoto were deserted for the time been, seemingly caught in a lull in the never ending battles of blood and death fought within the darkness of their alleys each night. _

_Crouched in the shadows, his breathing sounding harsher than usual in the silence, the assassin waited. _

_The wolves were still looking for him and he was sure that at any moment they might catch the sound of his breathing in the distance and come: gliding stealthily through the streets in packs to finally slay him forever. _

_He shifted slightly, attempting to settle more comfortably. The alley he crouched in was silent for the most part and filled with human refuse. The stench of it constantly fought to invade his nostrils. Overriding all that was the familiar coppery taint of blood. It was a constant scent these days filling his clothing, his hair and the very air he breathed. He wondered if he would ever be rid of it and only in the privacy of the shadows did the assassin allow the mask to slip slightly and the sadness to shine through. _

_In the distance, the dull murmur of voices rose as a door to an inn opened and closed. Whoever had opened that door was either dead or very lucky thought the assassin grimly. No man left the safe confines of the crowds at this time of the night, not with so many dark men lurking about these days. If he had left then he would most likely never make it home or if he had entered the inn then he was very lucky. _

_The soft sound of footfalls alerted the assassin to another presence. He watched a young man walk cautiously up the street, his hand griping the handle of a katana tightly. Despite the nervous grip, the young man appeared confident and the slight smell of smoke and ale wafting from the man informed the assassin that he had just come from the inn. 'Baka,' he thought._

_He almost left the alley to inform the man so but stopped, frowning at his haste for a man who had nothing to do with him. If he wanted to get killed then that was his problem; he had more pressing things to attend to. A small part of his mind protested his harsh decision, made when the man it concerned was completely unaware of it but he firmly pushed that thought aside. There would be time to reflect later. _

_He watched the man until he finally disappeared into the gloom. He felt no guilt at having let the man go on towards his fate, completely oblivious to what probably awaited him. Yet just the same, perhaps…he was getting soft._

_The hiss of steel against sheath echoed through the night; the most familiar sound in the world to the assassin crouched in the shadows. It seemed the young man had finally met his fate. _

_It was time to move. _

_Cautiously departing from the shadows, the assassin moved as quietly as he could towards his next destination: another alleyway three blocks away where he'd make his next stop. _

_Blood trickled down his side, leaking through his clothing and making the layers stick to his body. Trying to lower the noise of his pained breathing, the assassin for the most part ignored his wound. It was a miner hindrance and certainly something he could live through but that didn't make it any less painful. _

_Admittedly, he had never been wounded before. It was a new concept for him but not one that he couldn't deal with. His Shishou had injured him badly on more than one occasion so he wasn't entirely unfamiliar with the feeling of pain. Never the less, it was unnerving to feel the blood trickling down his side and the amount of strength it seemed to sap from his body with each drop. _

_Bandaging it would probably be a good idea, in fact, it would be a very wise idea but he had already taken more time then he should have. Normally he completed his mission and slipped away. Tonight, he had made the grave error of relaxing his guard and instead of slipping away; he'd very nearly slipped into the clutches of the Shinsengumi. _

_A sudden soft noise to his left alerted him that he was suddenly not as alone as he would like. _

_The first unit of the Shinsengumi appeared from the darkness, the recognizable figure of Souji Okita at its head. The assassin was very familiar with the youthful leader of the first unit of the Shinsengumi. It wasn't easy to mistake Okita for who he was dressed in uniform with his floppy hair, bright blue eyes and childish features. There was no one else who belonged to the Shinsengumi who looked like Souji Okita. _

_The assassin scowled at the appearance of the slight leader but held his position, concealed in the shadows as he was. Souji Okita could hardly be any older than he was, standing as he did peering into the shadows. Then again, the assassin knew appearances could be deceiving and he expected that Okita was probably older than his youthful face made him appear. _

'_Hmm, it seems the Battōsai is leading us a merry chase,' Okita remarked. 'He will soon find out just how close we are to slaying him forever. That demon can't keep running for much longer with that wound you gave him Hoji.' _

_The one called Hoji smiled at the compliment from his leader. It was rare for Okita to be so praising. _

_The assassin scowled, careful to mask his ki however. Okita almost sounded as if he were treating this as a game. It made him angry to hear such an amused tone from one of his greatest enemies. They were in a war, couldn't he understand that? Smiles and laughter had no place here anymore. _

'_Sir?' interrupted one of the squad coming forward. 'There is blood on the street over there and it is still fresh,' he reported. _

'_So the Battōsai is near is he?' asked Okita turning to the swordsman. Smiling with amusement, Okita scanned the shadows, looking for a trace of another presence. _

'_My eyes may not be able to see you but I know you are there Battōsai. Why don't you stop hiding and come out?' _

_The assassin however, would not be drawn. What right did Okita have to challenge him? How could he stand there and smile as if this were some amusing game? _

_Besides, it would not be a fair fight. He was wounded and they both knew that. Narrowing his eyes, the assassin realised Okita was not challenging him; he was baiting him. Okita's honor dictated that he shouldn't fight him unless he was at full strength but his men wouldn't hesitate. He had been getting so successful that it was becoming a necessity for the Shinsengumi to capture him at all costs. Okita wanted him to get angry, he wanted him to show himself because he wanted him to feel insulted and challenge him. The assassin was aware of the fact that Okita knew how young he was, knew his idealistic nature and was obviously trying to subtly draw the assassin out. _

_The assassin, now aware of this, knew he could not risk his anger getting to him. The Ishin Shishi needed him as their hitokiri. He could not allow himself to become embroiled with the Shinsengumi. They weren't his targets after all; they were simply trying to protect his targets from him. If he wanted to live another day as the Battōsai then he couldn't afford to let his anger cloud his judgment. The Shinsengumi had already surprised him once tonight with a move he hadn't anticipated from someone whose ki reeked of overconfidence. The resulting wound had been caused because the assassin had been angry at the taunts from this man and was only now beginning to realise that he'd lost his focus in that moment and hadn't cared what happened so long as he cut the man down. It seemed that his opponent wasn't the only one overconfident in his abilities. _

_No, the assassin would not come out and fight tonight. Enough was enough. His task was complete and all that mattered was that he retreat now, back to the safety of the inn. _

_A stalemate declared, Okita and his squad spread out, effectively cutting off escape for the Battōsai. He could feel Okita searching for his ki with his own but he kept it carefully concealed as his Shishou had taught him. _

_Ignoring their movements for the moment as the squad looked cautiously for him; the assassin took the time to quietly bandage his wound with a few bandages he always carried on his person. He didn't bother to pull off his clothing and do it properly but tied the bandages over top of his clothing, knowing that he didn't have enough time to undo and redo the complicated folds and ties of his garments. It wasn't very effective but it would do for the time been and would prevent the trail of blood which had allowed the Shinsengumi to track him in the first place. _

_Now, to escape. Readying himself and loosening his blade, the assassin watched as two wolves drew near to his hiding place. They were far enough away from the rest of the squad that if they drew near now and he was able to surprise them and slay them in a single blow, then he would be able to buy enough time to get away again. _

_They were so close now, close enough that they could probably almost see him but Okita was watching. Not yet, a few more seconds. _

_There ki was starting to spike now as they drew nearer to his hiding place in the shadows. They could not sense him but they knew he was very likely to be hiding were they were about to investigate and this both excited and terrified them at the same time. _

_Only a few more steps: Okita finally looked away. _

_With a hiss of steel, the assassin drew his blade. _

_The pack turned as one as they heard the hiss of steel from the sheath. They witnessed the blinding flash of the assassin's blade reflected in the moonlight as it cut thought the night. Their comrades didn't stand a chance as they tried to defend themselves. The Battōsai's legendary speed could not be matched. Their comrades fell, blood gushing from their wounds as their slayer disappeared into the darkness. _

'_Curse it!' hissed Okita as he ordered his men off in pursuit. _

_It was too late however; the assassin was gone and would not stop until he had reached safety. With his wound bound, there was no way the first squad of the Shinsengumi could track him; all they could hope was that they might come by him by pure luck. _

_Okita sighed as they finally admitted defeat several hours later. It seemed the elusive Battōsai had evaded them once again and would live to slay another day. _

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Blinking, Kenshin Himura came back to himself and sighed as he realised he'd burned his lunch beyond repair. Not that he minded overly much but it was still a nuisance just the same.

Pulling another piece of dried meat from his quickly lightening pack, he removed the blackened mess from the stick and replaced it with the new one, resolving not to drift off again.

He didn't do it often but in times of peace he found that 'drifting off' occurred more regularly.

His trip from Kyoto back to Tokyo had definitely been peaceful anyway. Misao Makimacki and the rest of his friends he had left behind in Kyoto had been sad to see him go but hadn't begrudged him. They had given their blessings and thus far Kenshin had been grateful for it. He hadn't seen hide or hair of any trouble which was wonderful for a change. After all, his last battle had been well over a month ago and he was enjoying the peace far more than he would admit to anyone, especially himself.

Careful not to let his mind wander again, Kenshin waited patiently for the meat to cook, amusing himself but watching a litter of young rabbits playing in a field fifty yards or so away. They seemed completely oblivious of him and Kenshin enjoyed the privilege of watching their antics.

Idly he wondered how Miss Kaoru and the others were getting on at home. Hopefully Sanosuke was staying out of mischief and Yahiko wasn't giving Miss Kaoru too much of a hard time. Heavens, he didn't need to come home to find the dojo in uproar and its occupants at each others' throats.

Still, this kind of uproar was definitely preferable to the one he had been remembering anyway. He only hoped it was not another premonition. The last time he had thought so much about the past, Hajime Saito had reappeared in his life. Within weeks he had left his friends far behind and returned to Kyoto: the very city that so often haunted his dreams.

Shaking his head, Kenshin rescued his lunch before he could burn it again and banished such thoughts from his mind. He would be in Tokyo tomorrow and until then, he would do his best to stop brooding and get home in one piece.

* * *

**Disclaimer: **Rurouni Kenshin © Watsuki Nobuhiro. I make no profit from this fictional story and it is merely for the amusement of myself and those who happen to take the time to read it.

**Japanese Terms: **

Baka: Stupid or idiot.

Battōjutsu: The art of drawing the sword.

Battōsai: Master of Battōjutsu.

Hajime Saitou: Captain of the Third Unit of the Shinsengumi. After the end of the revolution he was employed by the new government as an undercover policeman. He is an extremely dangerous man and lives solely by the code of the Shinsengumi to slay evil immediately. He possesses a deep hatred but also respect of the Battōsai who once represented evil to Saitou but has since proven himself to Saitou as not a demon but a man who fought hard for what he believed in.

Hitokiri: Manslayer/Shadow assassin.

Ishin Shishi: Name for those rebelling against the Shogunate.

Ki: A person's "aura."

Kyoto: Capital city of Japan until the end of the Shogunate's time in government.

Shinsengumi: A type of 'police force' employed by the Shogunate government. They were often referred to as the 'Wolves of Mibu.'

Shishou: Master teacher of swordsmanship.

Shogunate: The name of the current government which had been in power for the past three hundred years.

Souji Okita: Captain of the First Unit of the Shinsengumi. He became ill with tuberculosis during the war and would have had a slim chance at life if he had lain down his sword and rested but he chose to continue fighting and eventually passed away at the age of 25.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well I hope I haven't left anything out. If I've managed to botch a term or forget one then feel free to let me know.

I hope you all enjoyed the rewrite since I felt the original prologue was too short so I lengthened it.

Thank you to my reviewers and all your lovely, inspiring comments. Thanks also to those authors who've inspired me thus far. You should know who you are because I've left you some reviews on your stories.

**Next Chapter: **It seems it surprises all round though some are pleasant while others are far from it, particularly for Aoshi Shinomori.


	2. Chapter One

**Author's Note: **Hello all! Sorry for the delay and I hope you enjoy this instalment. Nice long one for you all too. I've written the start of this chapter about five times but I finally managed to get it out and settle on bits and pieces from all my other attempts. So dumb really because normally I never write anything more than once. (sigh) I must be getting old – I'll be turning 19 this Friday…weird. Anyway!

* * *

**Disclaimer: **Rurouni Kenshin © Watsuki Nobuhiro. I make no profit from this fictional story and it is merely for the amusement of myself and those who happen to take the time to read it.

* * *

**Chapter One: **

_Swish, thump. _

_Swish, swish, thump, swish. _

Kenshin Himura paused, hand still poised over the latch of the gate to the Kamiya Dojo. Although the noise was faint and hard to distinguish through the patter of the rain on the ground, it was familiar noise and so out of place in a dojo that only practiced with bohkens.

Frowning, Kenshin opened the gate and went to investigate. He shivered slightly in the cold, wishing that it hadn't decided to rain today of all days. The rain had begun sometime in the early hours of the morning and had woken him from his peaceful sleep. He'd hurriedly packed up and headed out, deciding he'd rather arrive home early then try to sleep in the rain.

His bright red hair had managed to plaster itself to his head and his shoes were a complete mess; covered in a thick layer of mud and grass. In essence, he was soaked and extremely annoyed about his early morning awakening. Not that he usually minded but he could have done without it just the same.

Stepping onto the porch, he breathed a sigh of relief and thankfully dropped his pack onto the wooden floorboards. Only semi conscious of the mud he was tracking after him, Kenshin let his curiosity get the better of him and steer him in the direction of the noise he knew could only be cause by the sound of a blade slicing through the air as someone practiced.

Slipping off his wet shoes, Kenshin reached up and silently slid the dojo door open. What he found made him start slightly as a tremor of shock ran through his body.

'Sano…?'

Though only a whisper, the word carried through the air and the man in the middle of the room paused in the middle of his kata.

'Oh Kenshin, you're back,' said Sanosuke Sagara as he noticed the red haired swordsman in the doorway.

Bewildered, Kenshin only stared at his friend as his mind tried to understand what he was seeing before him. In his hand, Sano held a katana and certainly not a reverse blade of any description. It was a true katana and definitely sharp if the light shining off the blade was any indication. Behind Sana rested an array of other blades, sheathed for the moment but almost certainly lethal. Even a zanbatou rested in the far corner, wrapped in protective cloth for the time being.

'Sano? What's going on?'

Sano sighed and sheathed the blade. Uneasily, Kenshin noted that even Sano's clothing had changed and not just the weapons in the dojo. Instead of the white jacket and pants, Sano had swapped them for a bright red kimono and a plain white hakama over top. He'd still retained the same shoes and the bandages wrapped around his feet and from what Kenshin could see where the front of his kimono hung open but the white trousers and jacket were nowhere to be seen.

'Sorry Kenshin, I know what this looks like but you can relax. I'm just making sure I'm prepared rather than anything else,' said Sano giving Kenshin a smile.

If it was meant to relax him, Kenshin certainly didn't and he only became more concerned. 'Sano, I asked what's going on,' he repeated. Narrowing his eyes, Kenshin warned Sano it definitely wasn't a good idea to lie to him.

Sitting down and still remaining calm, Sano gestured for Kenshin to have a seat also. Kenshin wanted to protest the idea but decided against it. Getting worked up wasn't going to help anybody and if Sanosuke could sit there so calmly then perhaps this wasn't as bad as he had first feared.

Settling himself and setting the reverse blade sword beside him, Kenshin watched Sano like a hawk as the other man offered him a second smile. Uncomfortably he was reminded of his musings of the past yesterday.

'Really Kenshin, aren't you getting a little more worked up than usual,' he asked.

'Can you blame me?' replied Kenshin. 'I wasn't expecting to come back to something like this.' Absently he noted that his voice had become very cool, filled with warning. Sano noted this also and sighed again.

'Speaking of coming back, the Missy hasn't been very happy. You're two days late and she's been carrying that bohken of hers around since yesterday morning. If I were you, I'd hope she doesn't find you right about now, at least not until I tell her you're back and give her some time to calm down and get used to the idea.'

Sano smirked slightly, obviously imagining the Missy's actions but when Kenshin only continued to stare with the same piercing gaze, the smirk disappeared as Sano's face again became serious.

'Alright Kenshin, I can see you're not too worried about it but I just thought I'd warn you.'

'Sano, I thank you for the warning but right now, I hardly think what Miss Kaoru thinks of my tardiness is important. What I want to know is why you of all people, a man in particular who prefers hand to hand combat, has a set of blades in a dojo that has only ever handled bohkens before.'

Matching Kenshin's piercing gaze, Sano answered, 'a lot's happened since you went to Kyoto.'

Kenshin frowned, sensing the underlying meaning in the other fighter's words.

'Like what?' he pressed.

Sano snorted. 'Stubborn as always I see. Let's just say that there have been some rather unusual happenings lately. I didn't think much of it at first. The local yakuza have been acting up a bit but that's not unusual since they get like that from time to time.'

'But there's more to it than that, isn't there?' queried Kenshin as he wrapped his right hand instinctively around the hilt of his sword.

Nodding grimly, Sano ran a hand through his hair to gather his thoughts. 'I can't say that what I've heard about looks like anything bad but it's still got me on edge. Did anything unusual happen in Kyoto?'

The sudden question caught Kenshin off guard a little. 'No but I wasn't there for very long. Only a day or two after I finished my business with Hiko.'

'So the Oniwaban didn't have anything to say huh?'

'No, what's this got to do with anything?'

'Nothing really,' answered Sano. 'It just makes me feel a little better to hear that.'

Growing impatient, Kenshin mentally restrained himself and waited for what Sano had to say. The man usually wasn't this cryptic but he was beginning to develop a habit of sounding more and more like the late ex-Shinsengumi captain of the third squad. Though he would never tell Sano this, he was a lot like Hajime Saito in many ways and it was only becoming more apparent with time. It seemed that Sanosuke had unconsciously picked up quite a few lessons from the man even if he thoroughly ignored Saito's training advice. Still, Saito was most likely long dead now, vaporised in the explosions at Mt Hiei when Makoto Shishio's hideout had been destroyed.

If the man was still alive then obviously things were back to the way they had previously been. Unless, Kenshin became a threat to Japan by reverting to the Battōsai or the government decided to give them a mission to work on together then there was no need for them to see each other again. Kenshin was well aware that there was still a score between them to settle but both he and Saito recognised the fact that for the time being, their goals were the same and unless that changed, it would be unwise for a fight between them where they risked losing one or the other. It was too dangerous so soon after what had happened with Shishio and it only proved that there were still other threats out there to the Meiji government. It the past few months Kenshin had already dealt with several including Amakusa Shougo, the Black Knights and the Water Clan. This only compounded what he was well aware of.

'Sano you aren't making much sense,' said Kenshin. 'What's got you so worked up you've taken to practicing kata with a real katana? I didn't think you liked swordsmanship overly much anyway.'

Sano laughed a little. 'Geez Kenshin, there's still so much neither of us knows about the other huh.'

Heaving a mental sigh, Kenshin reminded himself to be patient. Sano had a round about way of getting to the point but he would eventually.

'Well let me put it this way, since you left there's been three assassinations, all of them most likely corrupt government officials. There's also been a bunch of raids and stuff both in Tokyo and the surrounding area. Usually that kind of thing gets put down to bandits and stuff but the attacks were really well organized and they were mainly attacking army supply trains.'

Kenshin frowned, 'three assassinations you say?'

'Yeah,' replied Sano. 'Never a good thing as you and I know so it already means we're dealing with some bad arse out for blood. Problem is though that there've been a lot of bad rumours circling in the underworld which makes me think its worse then I originally thought and these attacks on military supply trains aren't helping. It all feels like it's connected somehow.'

'How long have these rumours been going?' asked Kenshin.

'For about two months now, before you left anyway. I kind of blew 'em off and decided not to worry you guys with 'em. Thing is, I went to see Katsu after the third assassination a week ago. Something just didn't feel right you know and I figured Katsu probably had more of an idea than any of us what's going on. Even Kaoru's starting to get uneasy and you know the Missy doesn't usually get too ruffled about things like this.'

Kenshin nodded thoughtfully. If Sano had been to see Katsu then it was probably a wise decision. Better not to ignore a rumour and hope it would go away. As it was, Katsu was the only other surviving member of the Sekihoutai besides Sanosuke himself. Though the two had not faired well in the years since Imperialists betrayal to the Sekihoutai, they had come to be great allies to Kenshin. As a newspaper journalist, Katsuhiro Tsukioka had become a valuable source of information for Kenshin and this information often turned out to be extremely useful if not vital.

'So what do you think of all this Sano?'

'Well Kenshin I would have thought what you've seen here tonight would tell you that.' Sano smirked at his friend and stood. He moved back over to where the blades were kept and picked up some cleaning equipment before returning to where Kenshin waited. Seating himself again, Sano pulled the katana from its sheath and began to clean it.

'You know I prefer hand to hand combat but I can't risk it anymore,' mused Sano eyeing Kenshin through his bangs.

'So you suspect something along the lines of Shishio Makoto's plot then?' questioned Kenshin grimly.

'Hmm, something like that but different.'

Kenshin sighed and withdrew into thought, both men content to let the other think for the moment.

This was not what Kenshin wanted to hear. He was not particularly receptive to rebellion, all too well remembering the last one since it had been he that had largely made it possible for it to happen. Even eleven years into the Meiji era, the government was still far from stable and there were very few people that trusted them yet. Hints of rebellion were not uncommon; Kenshin had heard them often enough lately. What disturbed him was the fact that he hadn't heard about this yet. It seemed it was being kept all very hushed if the Oniwaban hadn't heard anything. There was little that escaped the notice of the former information network for the Tokugawa government.

'So you really think that this might be a rebellion of sorts?'

'I'm not saying rebellion but I am saying it's serious,' answered Sanosuke.

'There've been too many swordsmen on the street lately. They're discreet so the police haven't noticed but I have and once I saw a full daisho I decided it might be best if I invested in my own set of swords. Hand to hand is my style and all but it's not going to stop a blade. When I was with the Sekihoutai Captain Sagara taught me quite a bit but it's been a long time since I've practiced so I thought I better.'

'Why swords and not a gun?' wondered Kenshin idly. 'Times are changing after all.'

'You've got to be joking,' retorted Sano, fire sparking in his eyes. Kenshin winced inwardly, realising he'd touched on a sore point. It had completely slipped his mine that the Sekihoutai had been executed by gunmen; shot down without a chance to defend themselves. There was no way Sanosuke would ever touch one of those weapons in his lifetime.

'Sorry Sano, this one forgot.'

'Yeah well you shouldn't have Kenshin,' grumbled Sano darkly.

'So you want to be ready in any case?' asked Kenshin subtly trying to switch the topic.

Sano's eyes narrowed and Kenshin cursed the ex-thug for his perceptiveness but Sano seemed to ignore it and go along with it.

'Yeah I do Kenshin,' he replied. 'I know you'd prefer not to see another katana in your lifetime and particularly not someone like me holding one but if things start to get ugly then I'm not going to be able to avoid it. It's not like I want to use a blade anyway but war's different: it's either kill or be killed. People don't just lay their pride on the line in war; they lay down their lives for their beliefs. You can't change something like that and for what it's worth Kenshin, I hope with all my heart that we don't get another rebellion. Things might not turn out as well as the first time and I know you of all people don't deserve to go through something like that ever again; not in this lifetime or the next.'

Kenshin's throat tightened at Sano's words and he bowed his head slightly, hiding his expression behind his hair. He was thankful for Sano's kind words, not usually expressed by the rougher man but if Sano truly thought things were that bad…well…it was enough to send a shiver of fear running up Kenshin's spine.

'Thank you Sano,' murmured Kenshin.

'Whatever Kenshin, don't worry about it. I'm sure I'm probably being pessimistic anyway.'

While Kenshin wanted to believe those words, he just couldn't. If anything, Sano was one of the most optimistic people Kenshin had ever met. If the man was reacting this way then it was probably because his fears were well grounded. What Kenshin wanted to know however, was just who was behind all this and why. Still, perhaps that could wait. There was a lot to think about and Kenshin decided he'd probably need some time alone for now.

'Could you tell Miss Kaoru I'm back?' asked Kenshin standing up.

'Sure Kenshin,' answered Sano.

Nodding his thanks, Kenshin walked away but paused at the doorway and turned back to Sano one last time.

'By the way Sano,' began Kenshin.

'Yeah?' answered Sano looking up from his cleaning.

'Where did you get the money to buy all those swords? Don't tell this one that you've actually got a job?'

At any other time Kenshin might have laughed at the guilty expression that flittered across Sano's face. His friend looked remarkably like he'd been caught with his hand in the biscuit jar.

'Never you mind Kenshin,' huffed Sano folding his arms defensively. He glared for good measure and inwardly breathed a sigh of relief as Kenshin gave him a small knowing smile before closing the door behind himself.

Once outside, Kenshin did not go to his room but stepped straight off the porch into the pouring rain. He had no doubt Miss Kaoru would come looking for him once she learned he'd returned and she wouldn't leave him alone until she'd at least assured herself he was safe and whole and taken him off to the Akabeko or something along those lines. While Kenshin usually appreciated her time and cherished the thoughtfulness of the girl, right now he needed time alone to think with no distractions.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Sano watched the door close behind Kenshin and leaned back with a long sigh. _Damn, well that hadn't gone well._

He hadn't expected Kenshin to take it quite so seriously; that was supposed to be Sano's job. He'd wanted Kenshin to come back and assure him he was wrong and that everything would be fine. No need to worry what so ever. Obviously however, Kenshin trusted his judgement and would take his word for it although it was unusual that for once, Kenshin hadn't tried to brush away Sano's concerns. Normally the wanderer was very quick to assure anyone that everything would be fine. Still, perhaps he'd decided Sano would see through it anyway and not bothered. Either way, Sano wasn't happy.

Gathering up the cleaning tools, he replaced them where he found them and set the newly cleaned katana to one side. With some amount of resignation, he went in search of Kaoru.

Yahiko wasn't up yet and his soft snoring only attested to the fact as Sano slipped passed his closed door. At least the kid didn't seem to be too worried about everything that'd been happening lately. He knew Yahiko wouldn't want to hear what he and Kenshin had just discussed. Like them, Yahiko hadn't exactly come out of the Revolution entirely unscathed, in fact, he'd lost both his parents and hadn't lived a very happy ten years until Kaoru had taken it upon herself to rescue him from the clutches of some local yakuza. If the kid lost anyone he cared about Sano was sure he'd suffer terribly for it. He was still young and even with such a fiery nature; it'd be hard on his already scarred soul.

Hoping it wouldn't come to that, Sano eventually located Kaoru in the kitchen. She seemed in a better mood this morning and was softly humming to herself as she dropped some vegies into a hot pan. Sano supposed it was probably because Yahiko wasn't up yet and insulting her cooking or something although Sano could substitute if he wanted to. Deciding that perhaps another day might be more appropriate however, Sano called out to Kaoru.

'Morning Sano!' chirped Kaoru brightly. 'Don't tell me you slept in the dojo again. I did say you could have a room you know.'

Mentally bracing himself Sano replied, 'Kenshin's back.'

'What! Why didn't you tell me?' Kaoru was suddenly right in front of him, bohken in hand and looking furious.

'I just did,' answered Sano dryly and avoiding a swipe of Kaoru's bohken.

'Then why don't I see him?' she snapped.

Growing irritated, Sano retorted, 'yeah well he's back okay? I'm not his keeper last time I checked and he can go where he wants. Gesh girl, go pick on him or something but leave me out of it.'

'Sano you've got some nerve,' growled Kaoru stomping past him. 'I suppose he's in his room is he?'

'Probably,' answered Sano noncommittally.

Throwing one last baleful stare over her shoulder, Kaoru marched up the hallway towards Kenshin's room, grumbling under her breath.

Sano sighed as he watched her go. 'Damn girl needs to calm down,' he muttered before realising he could suddenly smell something burning.

'Shit Kaoru! You're burning the damn breakfast!' yelled Sano leaping towards the pan on the fire. He'd be damned if he'd ever cook but at least he knew enough to know you didn't leave something on the fire unattended.

'Rooster head why the hell are you making so much noise!' roared Yahiko suddenly.

Sano groaned as he realised he'd woken Yahiko up. Could this morning get any worse?

0-0-0-0-0-0

The wind blew swift and sure through the trees; a testament to the approaching storm from the east beyond the city of Kyoto. Most of the city citizens were already indoors, hunkered down against the approaching weather. It wouldn't be long now before the storm arrived and unleashed its fury.

Very few people were out and about on the streets at the moment but one man however, was. He strolled along at a leisurely pace, seemingly uncaring of the approaching storm. At the moment he was preoccupied with his own thoughts and didn't particularly care if he got rained on. A little water never hurt anybody after all. However, due to his preoccupation, he was also completely unaware that he was currently being watched very closely. Normally such a thing wouldn't have slipped his notice but he wasn't expecting it at the moment so his guard was unusually lax.

'Is that him?'

Shooting a sharp glance at his subordinate, Captain Osamu Nori motioned for him to be silent least he be punished.

Their target was known to possess a fair amount of skill and there was certainly no need to alert him to their intentions just yet. Their orders were to arrest him as peacefully as possible and bring him back to the station. They had been told it was unlikely he'd resist but they'd also been warned to be on their guard just the same.

Captain Nori certainly had to admit that the man the subordinate had pointed out did fit the description despite his worn clothing and apparent lack of weapons.

Dressed in a uniform and in the heat of battle he would certainly look the part but right now he simply looked ordinary; just another man going about his business on the streets of Kyoto.

Giving the signal to get into position, Captain Nori watched as his men did as they were ordered then he gave a second signal to move in. The trap now set, the Captain waited for the man to fall right into it.

Though he didn't approve of the ambush they had prepared for this man, he had to admit it was preferable if the man didn't have a chance to consider resistance. Captain Nori did not like bloodshed and he preferred to avoid it where possible, even if it meant taking this man off guard and without a weapon.

A bolt of lightning ripped through the sky as the Captain gave the order to spring the trap. The man saw them in the flash of lightning, his eyes wide and startled but it was too late to think of escape now. Fifteen men now surrounded him, weapons pointed at him threateningly as their Captain regarded him warningly from just outside the circle.

'Aoshi Shinomori you are hereby under arrest by order of the Meiji Government.'

0-0-0-0-0-0

Aoshi bit back a hiss of pain as his foot caught on the threshold to the Kyoto police station. His ribs were on fire, most likely one or two broken he decided with cold detachment. Certainly nothing he couldn't handle but not favourable either.

His mind was working on overdrive as he struggled to process what had just happened not an hour ago. None of it made sense and his captors certainly hadn't told him anything else. True, he knew that he'd committed crimes that the government wouldn't approve of but as far as he knew, they'd never been told. So a leak then but why? Why now and not sooner?

He shook his head and tried to focus on the task at hand: escape, if that were possible.

When the police had first surrounded him, he'd been too shocked to react and the proximity of their weapons had prevented him anyway. Once they had lowered them and moved in closer to tie him up, Aoshi had reacted and instantly tried to force his way out of the circle. He'd nearly succeeded too until one of the police had leapt on him and pinned him to the ground. He'd struggled like a wildcat as he tried to break free; twisting out of grasping hands and wriggling furiously in an attempt to get out from under the mass of bodies.

Eventually however, they had managed to restrain him and tie his hands together. Three more escape attempts had resulted in several severe bruises, dozens of scratches and a suspected concussion. On top of all that one of the crueler police officers had kicked him in the ribs during his last attempt several times and managed to crack or break some of them.

Aoshi's eyes came to rest on his back and he struggled to hold back a scowl, his eyes narrowing dangerously. The policeman saw the look and sneered at him, cockily arching an eyebrow at him as if daring him to try and escape again. Aoshi badly wanted to wrench himself free and pound the man into the dirt for his cruelty. He did not approve of men like this and under normal circumstances Aoshi gladly would have followed out his line of thought if he wasn't as injured as he was now.

'Hurry up,' barked one of the officers pushing Aoshi sharply in the back. He nearly ended up on the ground again but managed to maintain his balance and straighten. He'd be damned if these men were going to rob him of his pride.

Ignoring the twinge in his side, Aoshi glared around the station foyer, his green eyes chips of ice in his face. Some of the wiser police officers dropped their gazes but those that didn't Aoshi carefully marked in his mind, remembering each and every sneering expression. Those men would be the ones he would hit first should an opportunity for escape present itself.

Forcefully hitting Aoshi in the kidneys from behind and nearly making Aoshi pass out from the unexpected attack, his captor pushed him forward savagely towards a dark doorway on the other side of the room.

He barely noticed as they passed through it and ignored the cat calls from the other prisoners in their cells as the entourage passed them.

Coming close to the end of the hallway, the two police officers stopped with their prisoner and turned towards the second last door.

'We'll put him in this one, don't need him getting into a fight with any of the other prisoners,' said the policemen holding Aoshi from behind.

'Are you sure that's wise Hotaka?' questioned the other officer. 'I know it's the only free cell but that prisoner in the cell next to him is pretty crafty and I don't like the idea of the two of them being able to plan something even if there are bars separating the pair of them.'

The first officer snorted, 'you worry too much. He's just a washed up old lieutenant from Tokyo. I doubt the two of them are particularly going to be on speaking terms anyway since we're the ones putting him in here. Even if the other guy is a former officer, Shinomori's hardly going to trust him. Besides, he's barely even alive as it is.'

'Well don't say I didn't warn you,' muttered the second officer darkly. Taking a set of keys from his belt, he unlocked the cell and stood aside as Hotaka shoved Aoshi into the room. Aoshi stumbled and crashed against the far wall, gasping as his injured ribs protested under the impact.

Hotaka snorted disdainfully at Aoshi's crumpled form and pulled the door shut. 'Sleep tight Shinomori and don't let the rats bite,' he called as he locked the door. He gave a harsh bark of laughter and walked away, leaving Aoshi alone for the moment.

Aoshi hissed as he listened to the men's retreating footsteps and tried to sit up. His efforts were rewarded with a flare of pain and he slumped back onto the ground panting. A slight noise to his right alerted him suddenly that he wasn't alone.

'Well well, looks like I'm not the only unpopular one around here.'

Frowning, Aoshi rolled over slightly and peered into the gloom through the bars of his cell. The voice sounded vaguely familiar but it was rough with thirst and what Aoshi guessed was probably pain.

'I guess not,' answered Aoshi.

'Humph. Still ever the reserved ninja I see,' remarked the other cell mate dryly.

Aoshi's frown only deepened. The voice was definitely someone he knew. Besides, it seemed the owner of the voice knew him in any case seeing as he'd correctly identified him as a ninja.

Ignoring his discomfort, he tried a second time to sit up and finally managed, finding that now that his body had had a few moments to collect itself it didn't feel as bad as he'd first thought.

Peering into the darkness, he made out the shape of a man slumped in the far corner of the cell. The faint scent of blood drifted towards Aoshi's face and he was able to see that the man must be restrained since his hands appeared to be pulled behind his back. True to the policemen's words when they'd been arguing about putting him in this cell, the man was wearing a crumpled police uniform, dark in several places with what could only be blood. The wounds themselves probably weren't fatal but they were definitely painful by the looks of things.

Squinting, Aoshi peered harder into the darkness as he tried to distinguish the other's face which was slightly bowed. He couldn't see it however and mentally cursed the long tendrils of hair blocking his view. He paused however, as he looked at the bangs and then began to look at the man as a whole, mentally matching what he could see with only one other man he had ever met possessing the same characteristics. Finally he recognised the man in the darkness.

'Hajime Saito,' he breathed.

'Aoshi Shinomori,' came the reply, confirming Aoshi's guess. The voice was definitely Saito's.

'I thought you were dead,' he said bluntly, not sure what else to say.

'Well miracles do happen,' answered Saito. 'I doubt the Battōsai will be pleased to know of my existence however.'

Aoshi said nothing. Though he had barely spoken a few words with Saito he was familiar with the ex-Shinsengumi captain's unusual sense of humour and he'd also taken the time after Saito's supposed demise to find out a little more about the man. An observant man, Saito's powers of perception were uncanny and he possessed a focus few other men did or ever would.

'I suppose they ambushed you as well.'

Yes,' replied Aoshi.

'Humph, I don't know what they think they're up to,' hissed Saito, voice laced with venom as he finally raised his face. Aoshi mentally winced as he noted the cut on Saito's brow and dried blood on his face.

'Neither do I although I can guess.'

Saito eyed him critically, a sharp gleam coming into the wolf's gaze. 'So you suspect it's to do with the rebellious activity occurring lately.' It was not a question.

'Of course. I can't think of anything else although I do wonder why.' Aoshi quietened, sinking into thought.

He'd only learned about the rebellious activity in Tokyo this morning. It was what he had been mulling over when the police had ambushed him. The news hadn't surprised him but he was a little concerned as to how long it had taken the Oniwaban to come by the information. He supposed Saito had only learned of it recently as well since he must have been in Kyoto if he was imprisoned here.

'I would have thought it was obvious,' said Saito softly, a touch of scorn creeping into his voice. Aoshi ignored it for the most part and looked sharply at him instead.

'Why don't you enlighten me?' asked Aoshi, his tone frosty.

Evidently feeling like he shouldn't have to explain something so simple, Saito glared at Aoshi through the gloom, his eyes flickering with a dangerous golden gleam and reminding Aoshi of this man's incredibly wolf like nature.

'The only thing you and I have in common is that we both worked for the previous government,' answered Saito. 'Obviously the Meiji government feels threatened by this rebellious activity and it's not taking any chances. It can't be sure how either you or I would react so it figures the best thing to do is to lock us up so neither of us can go running off to join the other side. The stupid fools don't even realise that something like this is only going to make other men they lock up in this manner go running to the other side if they ever get free.'

Aoshi nodded at Saito's words. The man was right; it was most likely why they now found themselves in this predicament. 'So what will do?' he questioned neutrally. 'I hold no illusions that you don't plan on getting out of here.'

Saito snorted and turned his gaze away, coldly dismissing Aoshi.

'What do you care Shinomori?'

'Nothing,' answered Aoshi flatly, mentally noting he seemed to have struck a nerve. 'I just wondered.'

'Oh and I didn't think you had feelings,' said Saito, a small smirk twisting his lips as he looked back at Aoshi.

'Well once I get out of here I'll have more important things to worry about than joining sides. Chou for one, needs to find out what's happened before that bumbling idiot walks into the same trap I did.'

'And are you a bumbling idiot?' asked Aoshi, not able to resist the slight to the other prisoner.

'I didn't say that,' answered Saito still smirking and seemingly unaffected by Aoshi's insult. 'At any rate, the Meiji government doesn't really deserve my support but they haven't done too badly in the past ten years for this country when all's said and done. However, if I like what the other sides fighting for then it might not matter.'

'So you need time to choose sides hmm?' queried Aoshi. 'I didn't pick you for being such a traitorous man. First the Shogunate and now possibly the Meiji government. You're not a very loyal man Hajime Saito.'

'Sat what you like Shinomori,' Saito coldly, all humour gone from his face. 'I have only ever had one loyalty and that is to Japan. I fight to eradicate evil from this country, that is the code of the Shinsengumi and I will honour it to the death. You on the other hand, don't seem to have any loyalties and only fight for your own purposes. From the way I understand it, the Oniwaban fights for the title of the 'strongest' and nothing less.'

'Maybe once,' agreed Aoshi, refusing to deny it. 'But the Oniwaban only focused on that during the Meiji era when our strength never had a chance to be proven. In times of war our primary purpose is to protect the people and that will never change.'

'So it seems we both fight for the people of Japan,' said Saito, seemingly amused by the turn in conversation.

'Nothing more and nothing less,' answered Aoshi seriously.

'Very well then,' answered Saito. 'I suppose then perhaps a temporary alliance is in order.'

The statement caught Aoshi off guard and he realised that Saito had intended this to happen all along. The man was clearly seriously injured and shackled to the wall behind him. His pride however, dictated that he didn't ask for help so he had manipulated this conversation to get what he wanted without damaging his dignity.

_They were right when they said you were a crafty one_ thought Aoshi darkly.

'I suppose,' agreed Aoshi.

'Good,' answered Saito. 'Now shut up and let me think.'

Aoshi said nothing and rested back against the wall. There was plenty of time to argue with Saito later. For now, they needed to escape and anything else including personal issues between them would have to wait.

_You're in for a few surprises when you get home Battōsai_ thought Aoshi idly. It had only been yesterday that they'd bidden goodbye to the man. Still, Aoshi was certain he could handle it for now. Not that he specifically liked the man but he at least felt obliged to speak with the former manslayer concerning this. After all, he doubted the most infamous assassin of the previous revolution was going to like any of this one bit; particularly this assassin that hadn't killed since and planned on never killing again. War however, never played by those kind of rules. It would be interesting to see just how the Battōsai reacted.

* * *

**Any terms you want me to define please let me know and I'll supply. Most people seem to know what everyone's talking about in RK fiction but if you don't than please feel free to ask me. **

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**Author's Note: **Well there you have it. Lots of dialogue and stuff but I needed to start setting the scene. I particularly enjoyed writing the scene with Aoshi and Saito. Bet you all didn't see that coming! And Kenshin returning home was also very interesting to write.

May I remind everyone that this strictly follows the anime. I've ignored the manga and I'm also going to ignore the Ova's and the anime movie that was made to accompany the anime. Occasionally I will use Japanese terms but that's all.

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_**Can everyone please review this? I've been very frustrated with my writing of late and feel that it's somewhat lacking. I don't seem to be improving and I want to know if my story is up to scratch with the likes of those RK fanfic author's who have achieved over 150 reviews. I know it's a bit to ask but I'm really desperate to know if this story is good enough. I've always wanted to write a very good fic that people will enjoy but I don't seem to be able to and it's really upsetting me. **_

_**Please review and tell me if I'm doing well or if this is just plain old boring or only okay. I want this to grab you guys from the moment you start reading and if it's not doing that then I'm obviously not doing my job. **_

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**Next Chapter: **Here comes the action! Sano has an encounter with a familiar seaman, Kenshin finds himself under attack and the Kenshin gang are subject to a surprise visit from a spy/former swordsman. 


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